The Rings of Power cast talks fan backlash, enjoying the show on its own terms

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As a lifelong fan of Middle-earth and its rich lore, embarking on this journey through “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” has been an exhilarating yet perplexing adventure for me. With my vast knowledge of Tolkien’s world at my disposal, I find myself constantly questioning the show’s decisions and deviations from the original source material.

In October, the second season of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” came to an end. Despite facing criticism throughout the years, it has managed to establish a dedicated audience and deliver a satisfying television experience – if you appreciate it with the appropriate perspective.

For someone deeply immersed in the intricacies of The Lord of the Rings universe, delving into The Rings of Power feels peculiar because it unfolds during Middle-earth’s Second Age, centuries before the events most people are familiar with from the original stories. Although J.R.R. Tolkien provided a general account of what transpired during this period, he didn’t pen a series of novels about it, leaving the creators of The Rings of Power free to make extensive adaptations. Occasionally, the show appears to be meticulously following Tolkien’s plan, and other times, it seems to stray far from it altogether.

Actor Robert Aramayo (Elrond) explained to Complex: “I understand it. If you’re a fan of the lore, you might find the decisions we made in the series frustrating, but that’s your prerogative. However, I’d encourage viewers to consider these choices were made with the limited Second Age material we had at hand… I believe this is what makes Tolkien fascinating – if I say ‘Elves are like this,’ you can challenge me by referencing different stories and debates can ensue. So, I really want to invite people to scrutinize the series.

To truly savor “Lord of the Rings” lore, it seems that simply watching the series might be the best approach for dedicated fans, as it’s packed with alterations that are too significant to dismiss casually. For example, in Tolkien’s timeline, major events from the Second Age span thousands of years, yet on “The Rings of Power,” they appear to be compressed into just a few months. Characters like Adar and Nori are entirely new creations for television, and the show takes significant creative liberties with characters such as Gandalf.

I’m not saying the results are bad — I more or less enjoyed the second season — but the show isn’t making many serious attempts to stay true to Tolkien’s vision, and the actors talking about the flexibility of the lore sounds a bit like coping to me. One Tolkien professor Amazon hired to defend the show claimed there was “no such thing” as canon in The Lord of the Rings, which sounds like the kind of thing you’d only say if you’d lost some perspective. Ditto Benjamin Walker (Gil-galad) taking “comfort in the fact that the Tolkien Estate loves [The Rings of Power]. That’s a pretty good endorsement where I’m sitting.” Not to be overly cynical, but if Amazon paid me $250 million for my life story, I’d love whatever they produce too.

Actors vs expectations, fans vs lore, The Tolkien estate vs J.R.R. Tolkien

It appears that the actors are passionate about their roles, which is commendable. They should continue to feel this way, as it can help them deliver top-notch performances. Interestingly, Charlie Vickers (Sauron) suggests keeping the focus on the present tasks. As he put it, “It’s peculiar because it seems that the show is deeply important to many people.” However, as a cast member, much of what happens is beyond our control. We come in as performers and do our jobs. Each actor and crew member has given their best, and I believe we should just accept that we’ve done our utmost and given it our all, letting go of the burden of high expectations and other people’s opinions.

There can be really constructive discourse around it and you learn things that might be really useful in going forward in terms of performance and whatever it might be to do with the show. But a lot of the things that are out there I just stay away from, because I know that it can be, as you say, like an echo chamber and things can get blown out of proportion. But the thing that we know is that people care and it means a lot to us that people care about the show enough to feel very passionate either way about it. And it’s not up to us. People can interpret it how they will, and that’s not for us to control.

In simpler terms, Cynthia Addai-Robinson (Míriel) expressed that they are deeply involved in this series, making it a significant part of their life. However, she prefers not to let public opinions online dictate her own interpretation of the experience. Instead, she suggests that everyone should filter out unnecessary criticism and focus on what truly matters to them. In essence, she views such online commentary as mere noise.

In today’s world, many artists must grasp this truth, particularly those involved in major franchises boasting substantial, established fanbases. Regarding a possible third season for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, there appears to be enthusiasm among the cast and crew; however, no formal announcements have been made as of now.

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2024-10-17 18:41